Fighting the Fakes: The battle against AI disinformation
The Electoral Commission has launched a deepfake detection pilot ahead of May's elections. LocalGov's editor William Eichler finds out how it works.
Public toilet numbers reach crisis point
20/04/2026 New research has revealed there is just one public toilet for every 15,481 people in England, as experts warn of ‘public toilet deserts’. |
Improvement notice lifted on Oxfordshire's SEND services
20/04/2026 An improvement notice for SEND services in Oxfordshire issued following an inspection by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission in 2023 has been lifted. |
Urgent call to close dementia training gap
16/04/2026 Over a third of care workers lack basic knowledge of dementia, research has found. |
Thousands of unpaid carers to have allowance debts cancelled
13/04/2026 The Government has announced that tens of thousands of unpaid carers will have debts reduced, cancelled, or refunded following a decade of confusing guidance. |
Pizza Out, Salad In: Schools face sweeping junk food ban
13/04/2026 The Government has announced plans to overhaul school food standards for the first time in over a decade. |
New food plan strives to boost heathy living in West Northants
10/04/2026 West Northants Council has announced a new food plan to encourage healthy eating through increasing access to affordable food. |
Teachers win £15m in compensation claims
02/04/2026 Teachers received over £15m in compensation for successful claims, including one which involved a six-figure payout for a teacher who was hit by a toaster. |
Largest ICB in England established in London
01/04/2026 The largest ICB in England responsible for a £12bn NHS annual investment has been established in London. |
Welsh council backs call to restrict junk food advertisement
30/03/2026 Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council has backed a motion to limit the advertisement of ultra-processed foods (UPF) across the region. |
Health devolution deals to give great powers to mayors
26/03/2026 Two new health devolution deals are to give greater powers to mayors in Greater Manchester and South Yorkshire. |
Scottish councils call for leisure and sport investment as prevention tool
26/03/2026 Scotland's councils are calling for long-term investment in public leisure and sport. |
Children stuck in hospital as lack of community care sparks ‘hidden crisis’
19/03/2026 Children are spending thousands of unnecessary days in hospital due to gaps in community and social care, the Children’s Commissioner for England has warned. |
ICB savings risk shifting care costs to councils, think-tank warns
19/03/2026 An ICB’s £277m savings programme for 2025/26 risks shifting care costs to local councils and residents, the Nuffield Trust has warned. |
Visiting rights in hospitals and care homes to be strengthened
18/03/2026 Visiting rights in hospitals, care homes and hospices are to be strengthened under Government legislation. |
BREAKING NEWS: Streeting agrees to 'simple asks' from Baroness Casey
05/03/2026 Health and social care secretary Wes Streeting has agreed to ‘simple asks’ on dementia, social care and motor neurone disease (MND) from Baroness Louise Casey. |
Councils’ wood burning campaign prompts stove industry backlash
05/03/2026 Councils have been warned of possible legal action from the stove industry due to their campaigns cautioning about the dangers of wood burning. |
Contract blunder left 400 children without therapy, ombudsman finds
04/03/2026 Bucks Council left up to 400 children without therapy they were legally entitled to after failing to properly manage a change in its contracted services. |
Council could invest over £450k to boost smokefree service
03/03/2026 North Yorkshire Council is considering spending nearly £500,000 on e-cigarette procurement to help residents quit smoking. |
'Widespread lack of understanding' to blame for key worker oversight
03/03/2026 Failure to recognise council employees as key workers during the pandemic must be reviewed as part of planning for future emergencies, Covid inquiry told. |
'Social care reform caught in political catch-22,' report finds
02/03/2026 Social care reform is caught in a political catch-22 with Government frightened to tackle the issue, according to a new report. |
Digital Health Tools: Supporting healthier communities at scale
25/02/2026 GLL’s Joseph Rham explores how the use of digital platforms is leading to measurable improvements in community health. |
Reform UK council denies private hospital plans
19/02/2026 Derbyshire County Council has denied it planned to set up a private hospital at its Matlock headquarters. |
Health and social care integration plans receive £7.1m boost
18/02/2026 Plans for health and social care integration in Powys, mid-Wales have received a £7.1m funding boost. |
Council and ICB award preventative services contract
06/02/2026 A Preventative Services Contract for Adults has been awarded to three organisations by Shropshire Council and Shropshire ICB. |
Call for ‘equitable funding’ to support integrated local services
03/02/2026 Integrated services are vital to ensuring 75% of five-year-olds have a good level of development (GLD) by 2028, research reveals. |
Leisure services facing ‘triple squeeze’
03/02/2026 UK leisure services are facing a ‘triple squeeze’ of rising demand, ageing facilities and growing public health expectations, according to an APSE report. |
Reform council chair resigns following illegal HMO operations
02/02/2026 A council chairman has resigned after being found to have unlawfully operated unlicensed houses in multiple occupation (HMO). |
HMO consultation to be launched in Salford following ‘concerning’ inspection results
29/01/2026 Salford City Council has announced plans to begin a consultation on implementing a citywide licensing scheme for Houses in Multiple Occupancy (HMO). |
Council chiefs concerned by loss of measles elimination status
28/01/2026 Local authority leaders have voiced their concerns after the World Health Organisation confirmed that the UK has lost its measles elimination status. |
Call for national standards to end social care lottery
27/01/2026 National standards of care could be the key to ending the stark variation in social care across England, according to a new report. |
Scottish social care undermined by ‘systemic underinvestment’
27/01/2026 Social care in Scotland is undermined by the ‘systemic underinvestment’ in prevention and early intervention delivered by social care services, report finds. |
Council tax relief launched for families facing terminal illness
26/01/2026 Newark & Sherwood DC has unveiled a new council tax relief scheme to ease pressures on households where a family member is living with a terminal illness. |
Scotland leads on damp and mould regulations
23/01/2026 Regulations to protect tenants from damp and mould have been announced in Scotland. |
MPs call for overhaul of early years' healthcare support
22/01/2026 MPs have called for an overall of early years’ healthcare support, including more health visitors and Family Hubs, and a new vaccines strategy. |
Redcar and Cleveland BC pledges to become an Endometriosis Friendly Employer
20/01/2026 Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council has joined the Endometriosis Friendly Employer scheme. |
Poorer residents in Northern cities exposed to more pollution
20/01/2026 Poorer and diverse communities in northern cities are exposed to ‘significantly higher levels’ of air pollution than their wealthier neighbours, study finds. |
Combined authority to crackdown on junk food ads
19/01/2026 Liverpool City Region is set to clampdown on junk food and high sugar drink advertising across publicly owned assets. |
New Town properties at risk of ‘severe’ aviation disruption, analysis says
19/01/2026 Eleven of the Government’s proposed New Town locations will experience ‘significant aircraft noise exposure’, research suggests. |
Teenagers with care experience at higher risk of mental health difficulties
15/01/2026 Research reveals that adolescents who have spent time in care face greater risks of serious mental health challenges than their peers without care experience. |
Shared Lives charity supports almost 10,000 people in UK
14/01/2026 Home care charity, Shared Lives, supports 10,000 people through personalised, relationship-based care, new data has revealed. |
Councils join forces to get people into sustainable employment
13/01/2026 Telford & Wrekin Council has joined forces with Shropshire Council and Herefordshire Council to launch the Get Marches Working Plan. |
How to achieve compliance with Awaab’s Law
08/01/2026 Deja Sutherland, head of Enablement, Cloudhouse, looks at how to achieve compliance with Awaab’s Law without rebuilding IT applications. |
Six digital companies to share £1.5m WorkWell funding
06/01/2026 Six digital companies are to share £1.5m in WorkWell funding under an NHS and local government led programme. |
Council says 'more to be done' after SEND improvements
05/01/2026 Hertfordshire County Council has said there is still ‘more to be done’ after an inspection report noted improvements in SEND services. |
Families urged to be vigilant against fake Christmas toys
24/12/2025 A warning has been issued to remind families of the danger of counterfeit toys amid a rising number of fake Labubu dolls being seized at the border. |
Motor neurone disease patients dying before home adaptation grants approved
24/12/2025 Many people living with motor neurone disease (MND) are dying before essential grants to adapt their homes are approved, according to new research. |
Young care leavers to get free prescriptions
23/12/2025 Local authority leaders have welcomed an announcement that care leavers will receive free prescriptions, dental and eyecare services up to the age of 25. |
Public Health Grant 'must keep pace with inflation', LGA chair says
18/12/2025 Cllr Dr Wendy Taylor, chair of the LGA’s Health and Wellbeing Committee, has welcomed a multi-year funding settlement for the Public Health Grant but warned it must keep pace with inflation and rising demand to deliver on prevention and reduce pressure on health and social care. |
City’s clean air zone generates £180m in less than two years, say academics
17/12/2025 Bradford Council’s clean air zone initiative has generated an estimated £180.8m in benefits to the city since it was launched just under two years ago. |
Councils set for winter surge in demand for food bank support
03/12/2025 Councils are set for a surge in demand from residents for information about food bank support this winter, latest figures from the charity Trussell indicate. |
Council takes action against ‘unacceptable’ street staining
01/12/2025 Brent Council has announced its ‘zero-tolerance’ approach to paan spitting on streets, which is costing the local authority more than £30,000 annually to clean up. |
National HIV Action Plan will remove barriers to care, Government says
01/12/2025 Councils are to help the Government introduce its new HIV Action Plan, aimed to improve access to HIV testing and treatment, while combatting stigma around seeking support. |
Sport England announces 27 new ‘Place Partnerships’
28/11/2025 Sport England has unveiled 27 additional ‘Place Partnerships,’ expanding its drive to tackle inactivity across England. |
West Midlands mayor unveils nature recovery strategy
27/11/2025 A new plan to protect and enhance green spaces, waterways and wildlife across the West Midlands has been published by Mayor Richard Parker. |
Budget: Over 100 neighbourhood health centres to launch by 2030
26/11/2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves has announced that 120 of 250 new neighbourhood health centres will be operational by 2030. |
Complex care needs drive up social care costs for young people
25/11/2025 The growing complexity of care and support needs have increased social care costs by almost a third in 2025, according to a new survey. |
Vent-Axia Welcomes Healthy Homes Standard
17/11/2025 Leading British ventilation manufacturer Vent-Axia has welcomed the Government’s publication of its Healthy Homes Standard. |
Care cash extraction tops £250m, report warns
12/11/2025 Private providers extracted over £250m from public spending on care in just three UK regions between 2021 and 2024, according to a new analysis. |
Pride in Place programme to invest up to £5bn in local areas
11/11/2025 Up to £5bn will be given to 250 areas across the UK in the Government’s Pride in Place programme. |
Council and ICB 'taking decisive action' to tackle SEND failings
10/11/2025 Slough Local Area Partnership, which comprises Slough BC and NHS Frimley ICB, have said it is taking decisive action to improve quality of SEND services. |
Vent-Axia Helps Tackle Condensation and Mould this World Ventilation Day
06/11/2025 Leading ventilation manufacturer Vent-Axia is once again supporting World Ventilation Day. |
Islington Council wins baby vaccination court battle
06/11/2025 Islington Council has won a High Court battle to vaccinate a baby against her mother’s wishes. |
Employer-led vanguards to tackle workplace ill-health
06/11/2025 Employer-led vanguards including mayoral combined authorities will drive forward Government plans to get people with ill-health and disabilities back to work. |
Airtech Calls For Urgent Government Action to Support Radon Awareness Week
05/11/2025 Airtech, the condensation, mould and radon specialists, is once again supporting UK Radon Awareness Week by helping raise awareness of the radioactive gas. |
Government 'won't look' away as children become unhealthier
05/11/2025 Health and social care secretary Wes Streeting says that the Government ‘won’t look away as kids become unhealthier’, his comments come as new figures reveal the scale of the childhood obesity problem. |
'We need urgent clarity on redundancies funding,' warn ICB leaders
04/11/2025 ICB leaders have warned the Government that clarity on £1bn funding for redundancies is urgently required to move NHS reforms forward. |
Autumn Budget Insights: Time to deliver for adult social care
30/10/2025 With demand rising, the Autumn Budget offers a critical chance to secure sustainable investment for adult social care, writes ADASS President Jess McGregor. |
Government lacks understanding of the value of hospices, NAO finds
29/10/2025 The DHSC and NHSE do not know how funding is used by hospices for palliative and end-of-life care due to a lack of central oversight, according to the NAO. |
LGA welcomes Awaab’s Law but flags resource gap
27/10/2025 Council chiefs have welcomed the introduction of Awaab’s Law, but called for more funding to support implementation. |
Supporting older people's health and fitness
24/10/2025 Phil Donnay looks at the importance for older people of keeping active. |
Vent-Axia’s New Smart Fan Helps Landlords Stay Ahead of Awaab’s Law
24/10/2025 As Awaab’s Law comes into effect for social landlords in England, Vent-Axia is urging landlords to take proactive steps to improve poor indoor air quality. |
Deprived areas hit hardest by pharmacy closures
24/10/2025 England’s most deprived areas are bearing the brunt of pharmacy closures, new research from the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has revealed. |
Lack of investment 'threatens' shift to community care, says CQC
24/10/2025 A lack of investment in community services threatens the 10-Year Health Plan’s goal of shifting care closer to home, according to the CQC. |
Weak enforcement fuels growth in wood burning grievances
22/10/2025 Councils face rising pressure as poor enforcement of wood burning laws leaves communities exposed to harmful air pollution. |
Government pledges £80m to support children’s hospices
15/10/2025 Children’s and young people’s hospices in England will receive £80m over the next three years. |
Government to crackdown on traders selling vapes to children
09/10/2025 New rules for retailers selling tobacco, vapes and nicotine products are being proposed by the Government. |
Ombudsman slams council over safeguarding backlog
02/10/2025 The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has exposed a major safeguarding failure in Haringey, as hundreds of police welfare reports go unread. |
Labour conference: McGuinness calls for more health devolution
02/10/2025 More should be done to devolve health, mayor of the North East Kim McGuinness has told a Labour Party conference fringe session. |
Council reveals ‘urgent need’ for drug and alcohol commissioner
02/10/2025 West Northamptonshire Council is looking to appoint a temporary Drug and Alcohol Commissioner. |
Care sector to benefit from £500m fair pay initiative
30/09/2025 The UK Government has announced a £500m investment to establish the first ever Fair Pay Agreement for adult care workers in England. |
Opioid deaths 55% higher than official figures, study reveals
17/09/2025 New research from King’s College reveals that opioid-related deaths in England and Wales over the past decade are about 55% higher than previously recorded. |
AI home care tool could ease health service strain
16/09/2025 An AI-enabled medical app could reduce the burden on overstretched local health services. |
Edible playgrounds sprout up in Sunderland schools
12/09/2025 Three primary schools in Sunderland are embracing outdoor learning with the installation of new Edible Playgrounds. |
Call to boost physical activity for children in care
10/09/2025 Care-experienced children and young people are a ‘hidden group’ often overlooked in physical activity policy, according to a report launched today by the LGA. |
Vent-Axia Delivers Social Housing a Smart Ventilation Solution Ahead of Awaab’s Law
09/09/2025 Leading British ventilation manufacturer Vent-Axia has unveiled an industry first with its new Lo-Carbon Revive 7 Switchee-Enabled smart ventilation. |
Care sector unprepared for Terminally Ill Adults Bill
09/09/2025 The adult social care sector is largely unprepared for the implementation of the Terminally Ill Adults (TIA) Bill, says Care England. |
Greater Manchester launches North’s first nature recovery strategy
04/09/2025 Greater Manchester has launched the first Local Nature Recovery Strategy in the North, aiming to reverse decades of wildlife decline and improve green spaces. |
Councils push early check service to tackle health gaps
03/09/2025 Free NHS health check invites were sent to more than one million people aged 40 and over by March this year, the Local Government Association (LGA) has revealed. |
Schools lag on processed meat substitutes
01/09/2025 Over two thirds of councils are yet to remove cured meats from school menus, experts have warned. |
Airtech Helps Landlords Comply with Awaab’s Law
29/08/2025 Condensation and mould specialists, Airtech, are offering help to social housing landlords ahead of Awaab’s Law coming into effect on 27 October 2025. |
One in 10 supported homes at risk
29/08/2025 50,000 specialist homes for people with support needs are at imminent risk of closure due to ongoing funding pressures, National Housing Federation warns. |
Lewisham slammed over child homelessness failings
28/08/2025 Lewisham Council has been criticised for leaving a seriously ill child at risk after failing to act swiftly in a homelessness case. |
Councils warn of widening inequalities in NHS dental access
28/08/2025 Communities in deprived and rural areas are facing the biggest struggles to access NHS dental care, according to the Local Government Association (LGA). |
EXCLUSIVE: Sector warns Government over rental crackdown
15/08/2025 Councils have privately warned they will be unable to enforce a planned toughening up of regulations on the quality of rented homes without extra funding. |
High energy prices forcing councils to cool swimming pools
14/08/2025 Councils are decreasing temperatures in swimming pools due to high energy prices, data says. |
Councils crack down on dangerous fake Labubus sold by ‘rogue traders’
13/08/2025 A number of councils have issued statements about the health and safety risks posed by fake Labubu toys. |
Social care services in Wales receive £30m boost
12/08/2025 Local authorities across Wales are set to receive a £30m funding boost from the Welsh Government to strengthen community-based social care services. |
Extreme heat threatens thousands of care home residents
12/08/2025 Nearly 10,000 care homes are in parts of England facing extreme levels of heat, increasing the chances of heat-related deaths, campaigners have warned. |
Mayor of London triggers air pollution alert
12/08/2025 Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has issued an air pollution alert as temperatures threaten to rise above 30C, creating dangerously high ozone levels. |
Council fined following care home health and safety issues
11/08/2025 A fine of nearly £100,000 has been issued to Comhairle nan Eilean Siar Council due to an incident in St Brendan's Care Home. |
